Bench saw



March 30, 1937.-

T. L. HEDGPETH BENCH SAW Filed May 27, 1935 4 SheetsSheet 2 T WK N I R I QN NW WQN WQN N it Maw NN \ww mN March 30, 1937. T, HEDGPETH 2,075,282

BENCH SAW Filed May 27, 1935 4 SheetsSheet 4 fiver/far.

3 vr016 L fkafy ae 2i M ZQGJJ Patented Mar. 36, 1937 BENCH SAW Theron L. Hedgpeth,'0ak ParinllL, assignor to 'Duro Metal Products Company, Chicago, 11]., I

) corporation of Illinois Application May 27, 1935, Serial No. 23,541 10 Claims. (01. 143-474) The present invention relates to bench saws, and is particularly concerned with bench saws of the type used in wood working and driven by some source of motive power, such as an electric motor.

5. One of the advantages of the invention is the provision of an improved power driven bench saw of the type having a circular saw having all of the necessary features of the more expensive devices, which, however, has been so simplified and 10 re-arranged that the device may be constructed at a very low cost and thus placed within the means of a vast number of purchasers who may desire saws of this type either for home work or for commercial wood working operations.

15 Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved construction including a tilting mechanism for the bench saw table, by means of which the table may be angularly adjusted to a fraction of a degree and held in place by means 20 of the tilting mechanism without the necessity for any additional securing or clamping devices.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved'rip fence and gauge construction for bench saws of the class described, which has 25 been greatly simplified over the devices of the prior art in so faras holding devices and guides are concerned, but which is adapted to guide the work in perfect alignment with the saw and may be quickly and conveniently moved from one 30 place to another and held in place without any possibility of misalignment.

Other objects and. advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the four sheets of drawings ac companying this specification:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a bench saw con- 40 structed' according to the present invention andincluding a table extension for the handling of unusually wide work stock;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the tableof Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the 5 plane of the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the details of construction of the arrangement for raising and lowering the table;

Fig. 4' is a vertical elevational View in partial 50 section, taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 55 of Fig. 4, showing the details of construction of the arrangement for 55 causing the rip fence to bridge the miter gauge grooves;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view of the device for bridging the miter gauge grooves;

Fig. 7 is a. fragmentary sectional view showing 60 the tilting arrangement for they table, taken on the plane of the line 1-1 of Fig. 3,-iooking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 8-8 of Fig. 3, showing'the v furtherdetails of construction of the table and the drive shaft for the saw; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 8-9 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and illustrating the clamping arrangement for holding the table at predetermined elevation. 1 1

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, I indicates in its entirety the complete bench saw, which is preferably provided with a base II for supporting a table i2 and a saw blade I3 of the circulartype.

The table i2 consists of a plane metal member.

which has its top machined to anaccurately plane surface and which'is preferably provided with a plurality of depending flanges or reinforcing. ribs l4, l for the-purpose of providing border flanges and reinforcing the table.

The table 12 is also provided with acentrallylocated aperture IG. preferably substantially rectangular in plan, for' the purpose of accommodating the saw blade i3. The slot I6 is of sufficient size to accommodate the largest saw blade which can be used with a table of this type with adequate clearance on all sides of the blade.

The table I2 is also provided with a pair of longitudinally extending slots i'i, I8 for the purpose of supporting a miter gauge.

The slotsl'i,

i8 may either be dovetailed in vertical section or accurately rectangular, depending on whether itis desired to hold the miter gauge in the slot against removal vertically or whether it is de sired to place the miter gauge in the slot at any mintr I Of course, if the slots are dovetailed, the miter gauge has its supporting bar of complementary section and must be inserted from the end. The

table i2 is also provided with a plurality of for:-v

scale divisions and numbers indicating units of length such as inches or centimeters. The scale preferably begins at a point which is in the plane of the right hand. edge or face of the saw blade l3; that is, the scale 2| would then indicate the width of a piece of lumber after it hadbeen ripped or sawed in accordance with the location of the rip fence 22, located by means of the'indicia 2|.

The guide bar 20 is provided with asuitablez aperture 23 in alignment with a threaded bore in each of the lugs I9, and may be secured to the table by screw bolts 24 extending through the bar and threaded into the lugs I9. I a 5 The outer surfaces of the lugs I9 which engage the bar 20 are accurately machined to a plane which is at right angles to the plane of the saw I3 so that the guide bar 26 may accurately hold the rip fence 22 parallel to the plane of the saw l0 blade I3.

The table I2 is also preferably provided with a depending border flange 25 at its right side for purposes of reinforcement and for use in securing a table extension, which is indicated in its entirety by the numeral 26.

The table extension. 26 is intended to permit the use of the bench saw with its rip fence for ripping wider boards than could be accommodated by the table I2. a flat metal member formed with an upper plane machined surface 21 and with the depending border flange 28, which may also be used for attaching the extension 26 to the table I2. For example, in Fig. 6, it will be noted that the flange 26 on table I2 is providedwith a threaded aperture 29 for receiving the threaded screw bolts 3| which extend through the apertures 30 in the flange 28 and secure the extension 26 to the table I2. Of

course, these apertures are so arranged that the 30 upper plane surface of the extension 26 becomes a continuation of the upper plane surface of the table I2, being located in the same plane.

The extension 26 may also be provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves 32 which serve to reduce the weight of the extension .and save material without affecting the efficiency of the arrangement. The grooves 32 do not extend to the rear edge of the table extension 26, leaving the fiat plane surface 33 at the rear edge for supporting the rip fence 22 and permitting it to bridge the grooves 32 without any possibility of obstruction.

Like the table I2, the table extension 26 is provided with a plurality of forwardly extending lugs I9 having threaded bores and having flat machined surfaces at their outer ends for supporting the extension guide bar 34.

The extension guide bar 34 is provided with indicia 35, which begin at the end of the indicia .30 2| of the guide bar 26 and continue upward in the higher numbers of units of length. The guide bar 34 is also provided with similar apertures 23 for receiving screw bolts 24 which are threaded into the bores of the lugs I9 to secure the extension bar 34 to the extension table 26. In order to assure the accurate alignment of the adjacent ends of the guide bars 20 and 34, where they abut at the edge of the table I2, these ends of the guide bars may be formed with complementary tongue and groove formations, indicated at 36.

In other embodiments of the invention the securing devices may be arranged with such accuracy that the guide bars 20 and 34 are accurately aligned, but if the tongue and groove or other aligning formations 36 are provided it is not necessary to so accurately align the holes on the securing bolts 3| which secure the table extension 26 to table I2.

The rip fence 22 preferably comprises a metal bar of steel or other suitable material, which is accurately machined to be substantially rectangular in vertical cross section, and which is of suflicient length to extend longitudinally across the table |2 when aflixed to the fence supporting flxture 31 which supports and guides the rip fence The extension table 26 may comprise bar 22. For this purpose the rip fence is provided with a pair.of vertically extending apertures or bores 38 for receiving the screw bolts 39 which pass through the rip fence and are threaded into the threaded bores provided in the fixture 31.

The fixture 31 comprises a cast metal member which is formed on its upper side with a flat triangular flange 40, a portion 4| of which, underneath the rip fence 22, is accurately machined so as to hold the rip fence 22 in accurate parallelism with the saw blade I3 and to hold the lower face of the rip fence 22 at or just above the plane of the table I2.

The flange 40 is provided with an aperture 42 at one side above the guide bar indicia 2|, 34, and the aperture 42 is of suflicient size so as to permit a .view of a pointer 43 which is carried by the lower side of flange 40. Pointer 43 may be secured by means of a rivet 44 which passes through the pointer and the flange 48,'and the end of the pointer .43 is arranged in the substantially T-shaped aperture 42 in such manner that the point is directly above the indicia 2|. Pointer 43 is so arranged that it indicates the distance between the left face of the rip fence 22 and the right face of the saw blade or saw blade teeth so that the indicia 2I' will indicate the width of a board sawed with the rip fence in the position indicated.

The supporting fixture 31 is provided with a partially rectangular guide member 45 upon its rear side, which may consist of the flat vertical surface 46, the upper flat surface 41, and the fiat rear surface 48, these surfaces being so arranged that they are substantially complementary to a portion of the surface of the guide bar 20.

The guide 45 is in vertical section and elevation substantially hooked shaped and partially rectangular so thatit hooks over the bar 20, and is adapted to slidably engage the bar. The surfaces 46 -48 are of sufficient length transversely of the rip fence so as to accurately hold the rip fence at right angles to the bar 20, engaging the bar as shown in section in Fig. 4. The fixture may also be provided with a horizontally extending threaded bore 49 which is in substantial alignment with the guide bar 20 so that the threaded clamping member 50, which has its reduced cylindrical end 5| engaging the bar 20, in Fig. 4, can be brought into clamping engagement with the bar 20 to hold the rip fence in any predetermined position.

Threaded clampiug member 50 is provided with a hand knob 52 of any suitable shape. The fixture 31 also extends downward below the guide bar 20 and is provided with a diagonally upwardly extending bore 53 and counterbore 54. The bore 53 rotatably receives a cylindrical shaft 55, which carries at its'outer end a hand knob 56 having a cylindrical hub 51 which is rotatably engaged in the counterbore 54. The counterbore 54 also contains a helical coil spring 56 which is preferably of sufiicient strength so as to maintain the parts of the mechanism in the position of Fig. 4 at all times; that is, the drive wheel 59 carried by the inner end of shaft 55 cannot be conveniently disengaged from the bar 20 by pushing on the knob 56 because the spring 58 is so strong as to maintainthese parts in constant engagement.

The shaft 55 is provided with a reduced threaded portion 68, upon which is mounted a small drive wheel 6|, having a hub 62. The hub 62 and drive wheel 6| are arranged to support a frustoconical rubber disc 63 which is secured to the drive wheel 6I by means of rivets or pins 64, and the rubber disc 63 provides a non-slipping engagement between the guide bar 26 and drive wheel 6|. When the knob 66 is rotated, the drive wheel 6I with its rubber engaging surface 66 engages the bar 26 and causes the fixture 61 and rip fence to progress from right to left, or vice versa. Right hand motion is accomplished by turning the knob 66 counterclockwise, while left 1 hand motion of the rip fence is accomplished by turning the knob 66 in a clockwise direction.

The rip fence 22 may be made of sufllcient width in some embodiments to bridge the miter gauge grooves I1. I prefer, however, to make- 'the rip fence 22 narrower in a horizontal plane and provide my rip fence with a means for bridging the miter gauge slots II as follows:

Referring to Fig. 4, the .rip fence is provided with a transversely extending slot 66 located adjacent the rear end of the rip fence or at a point spaced from the fixture-61.

The slot 66 may be substantiallyrectangular in vertical section and is adapted to slidably en'- gage a substantially U-shaped stirrup 66, which 25 fits in theslot and is provided witha'pair of foot flanges 61. The arrangement between the stirrup 66 and rip fence 22 with respect to the flxture 31 is such that the rip fence is held in substantially parallel position with respect to the 9 top of the table I2 and may'sli'de on the table, being supported at its rear end by the foot flanges 61.

The bridging stirrup 66 is longer than the thickness of the rip fence 22, as shown in Fig. 1,.

I 66 being threaded into the bore 66. The spring II thus engages the head of the bolt I6 and the yoke 66 of the stirrup 66 and draws the bridging stirrup 66 into the slot 65 at all times. The stirrup 66 may, however, he slid overto' the right or the left side of the rip fence 22 so as not to interfere with the functions of the rip fence orobstruct in any way the work piece. The bridging stirrup 66 is adapted to cause the end of the'rip fence 22 to clear the miter gauge slots I'I,. I8 without. any possibility of the rip fence being obstructed or sticking at said slots during its progress across the table I2.

Referring to Fig. 8, the base II preferably comprises a cast metal member which is generally hollow and is formed with the four side walls 13, I4, 15 and I6. The upper part of the base II is formed with a pair of integral cylindrical bosses I'I, I6, each of which is provided with a bore 19, 66 and with a counterbore 6|, 62. The counterbores are adapted to receive the anti-friction bearings 63, 64, which may consist of any ball bearings having a pair of races, inner and outer, and the usual balls and ball retainers, but I prefer to use self-aligning ball bearings. The outer races of the ball bearings 63, 64 are preferably a close frictional fit in the counterbores M, 62, and these counterbores and races may be suitably tapered t'o flx the outer races firmly in the counterbores. The inner races of the ball bearings 66, 64 are secured to a shaft 66, the outer end of which is provided with a drive pulley 66, preferably of the V type, which may be secured to the shaft by a set screw 61 engaging in a key way 66, or by any other suitable securing means.

The opposite end of the shaft 65 is provided ally extending annular flange 63 for engaging the saw blade I6. The clamping member 92 may be threaded on the threaded end 96 and secured in place by means of the lock nut 94, or the clamping member may be unthreaded. and a pair of lock nuts utilized. The edges of the clamping flanges 64, 6 3 are accurately machined so that the blade I3 is held at exactly right angles tothe axis of the shaft 65. v

The annular surface behind the clamping flange 69 serves as a thrust-bearing, and with the end of the hub of pulley 66 maintains the axial position of the shaft '65 and saw blade I 6 with respect to the saw blade slot I6. At the lower part of the base II adjacent the saw blade I3, the'side, wall 15 is provided with a-horizontal offset 66 and with an annular seat 91 terminated by a shoulder 96, forming a partially cylindrical chamber for the reception of the saw blade I3. This chamber is partially closed by a cast metal plate of the shape shown in Fig. 4, which isprovided with a pair of apertures for receivin gentially with respect to the periphery of'the saw blade I3 and in the direction in whichthe sawdust is thrown off'by the'blade. The sawdust may thus be discharged out of the tubular conduit: IN to the rear of the machine.

The table I2 is preferably supportedvfor tilting movement with respect to-the saw blade I3 so that cuts may be made at any angle to thesurface of the wood which-is held upon the table I2.

For this purpose-I prefer to provide a pair of partially cylindrical trunnions I 62, I63, one located at the rear, and the other at the front of the table or the base II. Each of .these trunnions may be identical in constructiomand each one consists of a cast metal member having a 7 partially cylindrical surface I64 bordered at each -'of its ends with a vertically extending reinforcing flange I65, I66. 1

The reinforcing flanges I65, I66 also project radially at I61, I68, and are adapted to act as guides to maintain the associated bearing member in proper position. Each of the trunnion".

' I62, I63 is provided with a pair of laterally projecting attaching flanges I69, H6, each flange having anaperture III for passing the screw bolts II2 which are threaded into the threaded bores 'I I3 located in the bottom of the table' It.

45 of theQwallsis provided with a machined thrust tending slots I I6, through which extend the screw bolts II1. Each ofthe screw bolts 1- carries a I slider I I8, comprising a substantially rectangular metal member having an aperture for the screw bolt I I1 and having a reduced rectangular portion II9 of suitable size to slide in the slot II6. The screw bolts II1 pass through the complementary bearing members I20, I2I, into which they are threaded and secured by means of a lock nut I22.

The bearing members I20, I2I are preferably supported upon the elevator, indicated in its entirety by the numeral I23. This elevator may consist of a'cast metal member having anupper transverse beam I24, reinforced by a horizontally extending 'fian'ge I25. At each end the beam I24 is provided with a vertically extending socket for receiving the upper end of a rack I26, I21, one

side of each rack being provided with gear teeth 1 I28. The racks I26, I21 may comprise cylin-.

drical shafts, each of which is secured by a drive fit in a cylindrical bore I29 in the beam I24 and by means of a set screw I threaded into the beam-andprojecting into the bore I29 and env vadapted'to slidably receive the lower cylindrical gaging in a socket in the shaft I26, I21.

The base I I is also preferably formedwith a pair' of integral enlargements I3I,.- I32, one 10- cated'near the front wall 16, and the. other located adjacent the rear wall 14.. These enlargements I3I, I32 are provided with vertically extending cylindrical bores I33, each of which is I partof theracks l26, I21.. The bores I33 communicate withv the transverse horizontal bores -I34 which extendthrough the walls 14, 16and are adapted to pass the elevator shaft I35. The

elevator shaft I35 is provided with a suitable crank I36 at its outer end, and with a pair of bearing vsurface I42.

combined thrust bearings andpinions I31, I38. Eachicoxnbined thrust bearing and pinion may conslst-o fa substantially cylindrical metal member-provided with an enlarged cylindrical portion l3 9 and-anaxial bore I40.

' Theenlarged cylindrical portion I39 has an annular thrust bearing surface I which engages outsideof the respective walls 14, 16. Each 7 The enlarged cylindrical part l39 is:-provided with a threaded bore for receiving the set screw I43 which secures the -pinionto the shaft I35. The combined pinion andthrust bearing is provided with a tubular extension I44, which is formed with gear teeth I45 and which acts as a pinion, engaging the teeth I28 on the racks I26, I21.

'As the combined thrust bearings and plnions I31, I36extend into the bores I34 from opposite directions, they serve to fix the shaft against axial movement as well as to provide the shaft with pinions for actuating the racks I26, I21.

The elevator I23 may-thus be moved upward and downward by rotating the shaft I35 with crank I36, the racks I26, I 21 sliding upward and downward in the guides I33.

-The,.'beam' flange I25 is also provided with a vertically extending threaded bore I46 for receiving the stop screw.v bolt I41which extends upward through this flange and engages the lower. surface of the table I2. Stop screw I41 is se-'- cured inflpredetermined position by the lock nut .I 48',jand is preferably locatedclose to the center of-rotation'of the table I2 on the trunnions I02,

Thebase II is also preferably formed with a suitably located' lug I49 formed with a cylindrical socket I50 for receivingand seating the lower end essary for elevating the table by means ofthe crank I36. The table may besecured at any predetermined elevation by means of a clamping details of which are shown in Fig. 9.

member which is actuated by the knob I64, the

. Referring to Fig. 9, the. enlargement I3I isalso provided with a transversecyiindrical bore I66 communicating with the bore I33 and adapted to receive the cylindrical clamping member I66.

' Bore I66 communicates with a smallerfliore I61 which is threaded to receive the threaded end 9 I58 of the rod,l69 which carries the knob I64. The-innerendof the cylindrical clamping member I56'preferably has a transverse partially cylindrical surface. I60 which is complementary to the surface of the rack I21. 1

When the knob-I64 is turnedin a clockwise direction, the rod" I69 is threaded home in the bore I51, and the hub end I6l of the knob I64 drives the clamping member I66 inward until.

this transverse cylindrical surface engages and clamps the rack I21; Thus the rack I21 and all-of its associated partsmay be secured atany I,

predetermined elevation.

' The table I2 may be tilted upon its trunnions 1 I02, I03 to any predetermined position by means of the actuating crank I62 (Fig. 2). The details of construction of this actuating mechanism are shown in Fig. '7. The elevator I23 carries 9. depending integral flange I63 which. supports a pair of legs I64, I66. The legs I64,:I66 are provided with aligned transverse threaded bores for receiving the screw bolts I 66, I61, which may be provided with conical tips for engagement in complementary sockets in a sleeve I68.

The sleeve I68 is adapted to rotat'ably support the screw shaft I 69, which is providedwith a pair of thrust bearing collars I10, "I, each of which has a set screw I12. The thrust bearing collars I 10, "I are secured at each end of the sleeve I68 and serve to prevent any longitudinal movement of the shaft I69 in the sleeve I68. The complete shaft I69 may, however, move pivotally with the sleeve I 68 on the axis of. the screw bolts I66, I61, as a slight amount of this movement is necessary as the table is tilted.

The end of the shaft opposite the crank I62 is provided with an enlarged screw thread I13 adapted to drive a follower I14, consisting of a sleeve having a complementary threaded bore I15. The-follower I14 is pivotally mounted upon a U-shaped bracket I16, the yoke I11 of which is secured to the lower side of the table I2 by the screw bolts I18, which pass through the yoke and are threaded into the bottom of the table.

The two legs I19 of the U-shaped member I16 are provided with threaded bores I80, each of which has a threaded screw bolt I8I with a lock.

nut I82. The ends of the screw bolts "I are made substantially .conical and engage in com plementary apertures I83,- I83' formed in the sleeve or follower 114. The screw I13, being an irreversible mechanism, no clamping or securing a device is necessary to hold the table in any pre'- determined position other than the assembly ao'zaasa comprising the shaft I69 and its associated parts. When the table is tilted by means of this mechanism, it is merely necessary to actuate the crank I62 until the table reaches the angle desired. 6 The table tilts on an axis which is substantially at the surface of the table I2 by virtue of the fact that the curvature of the trunnions I82, I93 is made with respect to a point located'in the plane of the top of the table. The lower end of each of'the bolts H1 is threaded into an aperture I84 and secured with a lock nut I85 so as to be fixedly secured to the bearings I28 or I 2I.

These bearings are formed with complementary partially cylindrical surfaces I86, but comprising a lesser portion of a periphery of the cylinder so that they have a limited amount of rotative movement on the trunnions I82, I83.

The saw is preferably provided with a guard I81 and a splitter I88, as shown in Fig. 3. As the guard and splitter should-always remain in the same position with respect to the saw blade I3, they are fixedly secured to the elevator which carries the saw blade shaft. The rear table bearing I2I may be provided with an integral I88. Splitter I88 comprises an upwardly extending sheet metal strip of suflicient width with relation to the set of the teeth of the saw blade I3 so as to assure the maintenance of the sawed portions .of lumber in 'spaced relation to each other at the saw cut so that they will not pinch the saw. In fact, the splitter may be made slightly wider than the set of the saw teeth so as to tend to spread the sawed portions and assistthe freerotation of the saw blade.

The {splitter may support the guard I 81 by means of a screw bolt I98, which passes through a pair'of sheet metal arms I95, each of which has an aperture for the screw bolt I94, and each of which is arranged on one side of the splitter I88. A pair of nuts I96 lock the bolt I94 in place, and the arms I95 are adapted to move pivotally about the bolt I99. At the opposite end of the arms I95 they support the safety guard I81, which is materially thicker than the splitter I88. Therefore, the two arms I95 are provided with a pair of ofiset portions I91. The ends of the arms I95 are provided with aligned apertures for receiving the screw bolt I98 which passes through these arms and through aligned apertures I99 in the two side flanges 299 of the safety guard I81 and are secured by the lock nuts 28i. The safety guard I81 comprises a sheet metal 0 member having a flat yoke 282 at the top supporting a pair of side flanges 288 which depend from the yoke 282 at each side and are located on the opposite sides of the saw blade I3. In order to permit the view of the saw in opera- 5 tion, the side flanges 288 may be formed with an upwardly extending slot 283 at the center of each flange, and in order that the guard may be lifted upwardly by the work piece of lumber, the forwardedge 286 of each part of the flange is 7 formed with a curved surface which may act as a cam tofbe cammed upward by the lumber in case the guard is not set at the proper position.

The miter gauge 295 is preferably supported upon a long steel bar 296 which is complemen- 75 tary inshape to the miter gauge slots I1, I8.

bar 288 also supports a'pointer 291 which may consist of a sheet metal member having an attaching flange with an aperture for receiving a screw bolt for securing the pointer to the'bar 286. The pointer extends upward from the bar at the peripheryof the miter gauge 285 and parallel to the bar at its end where it is formed with a point just above the .indicia 288.

The miter gauge comprises a semi-circular disc of metal which is formed with arcuate slot 289.

The curvature-of the slot and the curvature of the disc are formed with respect to a center...-

which is preferably substantially in the plane of the upwardly extending machined surface. ..2l8

of the guide flange 2I I,-which is carried substantially at the diameter 'of the disc;

Guide flange 2 is formed with an apertur for receiving a threaded screw bolt 2I2 which is provided with a wing nut 2I3 engaging a clamp-.

ing member 2. The clamping member 2I4 is formed with a pair of partially cylindrical clamping parts 2I5, each of which engages a guide rod 2I8, 2I1. The miter gauge 285 is secured to the bar 288 by meansof a screw bolt 2I8, which is threaded into a threaded bore in the bar 286 and which is provided with a knurled knob 2I9.- The forward trunnion I83 is preferably provided with indicia and scale marks 228 for cooperating with a pointer 22I carried by the bearing I28.

Pointer 22I is provided with a slot 222 and may be secured to the bearing I29 by a clamping screw bolt 223, which is threaded into the body of the bearing I28. -The elevator is also'preferably provided with a laterally projecting lug 224 having a vertical bore for supporting a pointer 225, which consists of a small rod with a laterally turned end. The pointer 225 is clamped in the lug 224 by means of a threaded member 228. The adjacent wall of the base II is also 221, indicating the depth of cut of the saw into the lumber above the table at any predetermined elevation.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to, be limited to the precise details of construction;

metal table provided with longitudinally extending slot, a rip fence extending substantially parallel to said slot, a, guiding flxture carried by the rip fence and a guide bar carried by the table, and means carried by the lower side of the rip fence at a point spaced from the guide fixture for bridging the slot and preventing the rip fence from dropping into the slot as it progresses over the slot on the table, said means comprising a metal member of greater width than the rip fence mounted on the bottom of the rip fence,

and adapted to be slid from one-side to the other of the rip'fence, to-prevent interference between the bridging means and the work, and said rip fence having a guide aperture for slidably supporting said metal member.

2. In a'wood working tool, the combination of a metal table provided with a longitudinally extending slot, a rip fence extending substantially parallel to said slot, a guiding fixture carried by the means carried by the lower side of the rip fence at a point spaced from the guide fixture for bridging the slot and preventing the rip fence from dropping into the slot as it progresses over the slot on the table, said means comprising a substantially U-shaped member mounted in a complementary groove formed in the rip fence, resilient. means for drawing said U-shaped member into said groove, said U-shaped member having a slot engaging a pin carried by said rip fence whereby the U-shaped member may be slid from one side to the other of the rip fence.

3. In a wood working tool, the combination of a table formed with an upper plane surface, said table having a plurality of forwardly projecting lugs at one edge,-a guide bar permanently secured to said lugs and provided with indicia, a fixture having guide surfaces complementary in shape to said bar slidably mounted on said bar, and a rip fence extending at right angles to said bar and carried by said fixture above said table, an extension for said table fixedly secured at one side of said table and provided with a similar guide bar, said guide bars having complementary aligning formations for determining the position of said guide bars with respect to each other whereby the fixture may slide smoothly from one guide bar to the other.

4. In a wood working tool, the combination of a table formed with an upper plane surface, said table having a plurality of forwardly projecting lugs at one edge, a guide bar permanently secured to said lugs and provided with indicia, a fixture having guide surfaces complementary in shape to said bar, slidably mounted on said bar, and a rip fence extending at right angles to said bar and carried by said fixture above said table, said fixture having a shaft rotatably mounted thereon, a drive wheel carried by said shaft having a nonslip surface member engaging said bar, and manual means for rotating said shaft, said fixture having a counterbore surrounding said shaft, and spring means in said counterbore constantly urging said drive wheel into engagement with said bar.

5. In a wood working tool, the combination of a table with a guide bar, sliding means slidably mounted on said guide bar, a fence carried by said guide means, said table having grooves extending substantially parallel to said fence for slidably mounting attachments on said table, said fence being narrower in width than said grooves, said fence having a transverse slot in its lower face,

and a bridging member longer than the width of 6. In a wood working tool, the combination of a table with a guide bar, sliding means slidably mounted on said guide bar, a fence carried by said guide means, said table having grooves extending substantially parallel to said fence for slidably mounting attachments on said table, said fence being narrower in width than the width of said grooves, said fence having a transverse slot in its lower face, and a bridging member longer than the width of said grooves, said bridging member being mounted for sliding movement transversely on said fence to bridge said grooves, and comprising a. metal member of substantially U shape, having a slot engaging a bolt carried by said fence.

7. In a wood working tool, the combination of I 2,075,282 rip fence andaguide bar carried by the table, and

a table with aguide bar, sliding means slidably mounted on said guide bar, a fence carried by said guide means, said table having grooves ex-' tending substantially parallel to said fence for slidably mounting attachments on said table, said fence being narrower in width than the width of said grooves, said fence having a transverse slot in its lower face, and a bridgingmember longer than the width of said grooves, said bridging mem ber being mounted for sliding movement transversely on said'fence to bridge said grooves and comprising a metal member of substantially U shape, having a slot engaging a bolt carried by said fence, said U shaped member also having laterally extending feet and said screw bolt having spring means engaging said bridging member to urge said bridging member into a slot in said fence.

8.' In a wood working tool, the combination of a table with a guide bar, sliding means slidably mounted on said guide bar, a fence carried by said guide means, said table having grooves extending substantially parallel to said fence for slidably mounting attachments on said table, said fence being narrower in width than the width of said grooves, said fence having a transverse slot in its lower face, a bridging member longer than the width of said grooves, said bridging member being mounted for sliding movement transversely on said fence to bridge said grooves and comprising a metal member of substantially U shape, having a slot engaging a bolt carried by said fence, and friction means for securing said bridging member in any of a plurality of adjusted positions projecting laterally of said fence.

9. In a woodworking tool, the combination of a table formed with an upper plane surface, said table having a plurality of forwardly projecting lugs at one edge, a guide bar permanently secured to said lugs and provided with indicia, a fixture having guide surfaces complementary in shape to said bar slidably mounted on said bar, a rip fence extending at right angles to said bar and carried by said fixture above said table, said fixture having a shaft rotatably mounted thereon, a drive wheel carried by said shaft and engaging said guide bar, said shaft being slidably mounted in said fixture, manual means for rotating said shaft, and common resilient means for drawing said drive wheel into engagement with said guide bar and for drawing the guide surfaces of said fixture into engagement with said guide bar to hold said fence at right angles to said guide bar.

, 10. In a wood working tool, the combination of a table formed with an upper plane surface, said table having a plurality of forwardly projecting lugs at one edge, a guide bar permanently secured to said lugs and provided with indicia, a fixture having guide surfaces complementary in shape to said bar slidably mounted on said bar, a rip fence extending at right angles to said bar and carried by said fixture above said table, said fixture having a shaft rotatably mounted thereon, a drive wheel carried by said shaft and engaging said guide bar, said shaft being slidably mounted in said fixture, manual means for rotating said shaft, and common resilient means for drawing said drive wheel into engagement with said guide bar and for drawing the guide surfaces of said fixture into engagement with said guide bar to hold said fence at right angles to said guide bar, said shaft extending diagonally upward with respect to said fence, and said drive wheel' having a-frusto-conical surface of non-slipping material engaging said guide bar.

THERON L. HEDGPETH. 

